The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-24
our Latest Acquisition.

Had the Lake Weir Chautauqua ac- |
complished no more than securing for !
Florida the attention of such gentlemen |
as Prof Proctor and DIR. Hale the work |
would have been ample return for the |
outlay of time and money. But 1t has
already accomplished far more than this,
and the future will bring fresh fields Of
usefulness. AS an educational center it
will continue to be of incalculable inter
est and benefit to our section and the
State-simply as an advertisement, in
the narrow sense which demands a re-
turn in hard cash. the harvest will be
plenteous.
To interest the world in Florida and
secure universal attention to the advan-
tages peculiar to our State, has long
been great object to all who seek the
common good. In locating among us
the distinguished English scientist, Pro
fessor Richard A. Proctor, Mr.. Geo. w.
Wilson, of Orange Lake, has directly
benefited every interest in the State.
Besides the value attached to the ac-
QUESTION of such citizen, the results of
his observations will be published every
where, and the advantages of our eli
mate and the superior purity and clear
ness of our atmosphere will receive such
an emphatic Endorsement as it never
had before. The delight of Edward
Everett Hale, so emphatically expressed,
will attract the notice Of literary work
ers throughout the country The choice
of Florida for the scene of Prof. Proc
tors continuous labor will be perpetual
advertisement las the results of his obser-
vations are trumpeted by fame through
out the world.
The Lake Weir Chautauqua was or
ganized by individual effort, at private
expense and with little hope of other re-
turn save what will be shared by all who
are interested in our material develop
ment and prosperity and the education
| of the people. To secure the results of
| Professor Proctor's labors and to
| make them of widest possible
benefit, should not our State lend its aid?
| The life of such a man is all too short
| and the whole world is interested in
Il
usefulness by relieving him of the vex-
atoms details involved in the lack of
means and a slow appreciation for scien-
| tific results by the masses.
| Crowned heads in other lands have
won their purest fame and been most
useful to the world when they used the
power given them to protect and encour-
age men of letters. Florida has the OPP
portunity of exercising the proudest pre-
| rogative of government in enlightening
her people, and she will at the same time
reap a rich harvest of solid results for
herself. 1t has been said that we needed
advertising. No sum spent in ordinary
channels could publish the advantages
Of Florida so widely as will the resi-
I dence of Richard A. Proctor among us.
An appropriation of ten thousand dol
lars by the State will found in our midst
an observatory, over which will preside
the most famous astronomer of his time
Such an acquisition will be fully repaid
in dollars and cents; it will bring us
harvest of a thousand fold in attracting
| to US the attention of the scientific
world. Learned men will come to draw
| fresh inspiration from the lips of Richard
A. Proctor. and return to sing the praises
of Florida-around the great scientist
will cluster kindred spirits, and the
astronomers of Europe will realize that
| Florida's brighter skies and more trans
parent atmosphere afford far better
field for their observations than those of
| Italy.
| Will not our brethren of the press take
| up the subject and urge upon the Legis-
ture the propriety and economy of the
small appropriation necessary? We
| have Edison and Kost and Shaffranek:
| within the next twelve months we shall
have Richard A. Proctor and Edward
Everett Hale; how long before others
will follow? When Prof. Proctor set
tied in st. Joseph the New York papers
| congratulated the Commonwealth of
Missouri ON it's acquisition; let our State
show a sense of obligation proportionate
| to the value received. His scientific knowl-
! edge will reveal to us natural wealth Of
which we dare not dream as yet: his in
| fiuence will elevate and instruct our peo-
| ple-his fame will become, in a measure,
| the property of the State where he shall
| find welcome worthy of him.
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